It may be a yank site, but you may find this quiz useful to help identify the general type of dog that will suit you in terms of excersise regime, size, suitability with children etc. We did it and it cam eback with a "Chinook", trouble is you can't get them over here Next on the list was a Rough (Farm) collie. We have him for 4 years, still thinks he's a puppy and can be a bit bouncy but he's a soft as muck!

Breed Selector, Dog Search, Puppy Survey, Puppy Test, Test to find the right dog, Breed Quiz

 

Douglas.






German Wirehaired Pointer.. Like a labrador GTi

THE GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTER CLUB

Hungarian Vizla very similar, but apparently easier to train..

 

Lovely dog

 

thanks, forgot to mention that they do like a fair amount of exercise, but to be fair, I think that is true of most breeds his size.. I try to take him out on the bike when I get chance, so he can have a good run ! by far the most faithful dog I have ever known..

 

Pimmo,

Don't get a dog with the purpose of having something to scare off burglers.

For what its worth, I'd rather meet a Rottie, Staffy, GSD, etc, etc, any day of the week than some yappy little unpredictable rat thing.

For a first dog, if you want a pedigree bred dog of decent size, my personal choice would be to look at Golden Retrievers. I'd also be thinking about a bitch, rather than a dog. If you are thinking something smaller, then cocker or springer spaniels would be a great choice.

But, as Paul has said, you need to figure out what lifestlye the dog will be facing. And then decide on the size you want.

Here's one of my two before he (on the right) was fully grown. Can't praise the breed highly enough, but wouldn't recommend as a first dog as they are (like many others) very headstrong and need mental as well as physical exercise.



Good luck in your search, and take heed of some of the very good advice on this thread from Rhana, Spoon and PG. Whatever you do, though, remember

 

I know a dog's not just for Christmas?

In Korea you cut it in half and freeze the rest for Easter

 

Oh,

And the bitch has been attacked twice* - once by a jack russell (no, not everybody loves them) and once by a yorkshire terrier. Both incidents requiring vet treatment for bite wounds

To be fair, its not the "rat on a string" type breeds that are at fault, its the owners that think because they are small they don't need trainied or socialised and are constantly picking them up when other dogs are around.

*For the avoidance of doubt, both times completely unprovoked and on both occasions she did not retaliate in the slightest, although could have been completely excused for doing so.

 

Airedale Terrier

Alano Español

Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog

American BulldogAmerican Mastiff (Panja)

American Pit Bull Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier

Australian Bulldog

Azawakh Banter Bulldogge

Ba-Shar

Belgian Mastiff

Bergamasco

Berger des Picard

Black Mouth Cur

Bogle

Borzoi

Boxador

Boxer

Bull Boxer

Bulldog

Bull Terrier

Cane Corso Italiano

Cão de Fila de São Miguel

Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog

Catahoula Bulldog

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Chow Chow

Corgidor

Doberman Pinscher

Dogo Argentino

Dogue Brasileiro

Doodleman Pinscher

Dorset Olde Tyme Bulldogge

Dutch Shepherd Dog

EngAm Bulldog / Olde Bulldog

English Boston-Bulldog

Golden Boxer

Hovawart

Miniature Bulldog Olde Boston Bulldogge

Olde English Bulldogge

Olde Victorian Bulldogge

Original English Bulldogge

Ori Pei

Perro de Presa Mallorquin

Plica

Shar-Pei

Sloughi

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Thai Ridgeback

Titán Bull-Doggé

Valley Bulldog

Victorian Bulldog

Total Dogs Found: 57



Thats a great help

 

f'ck it. Just get one of each and be done with it.

 

Akita Inu

Akita Shepherd

Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog

American Bandogge Mastiff

American Bulldog

American Cocker Spaniel

American Mastiff

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Beauceron

Bernese Mountain Dog

Black Russian Terrier

Boerboel

Borzoi

Bouvier des Flanders

Boxweiler

Bulgarian Shepherd Dog

Bullmastiff

Cane Corso Italiano

Canis Panther

Caucasian Ovtcharka

Central Asian Ovtcharka

Dogo Argentino

Dogue de Bordeaux

EngAm Bulldog / Olde Bulldog

Estrela Mountain Dog

Fila Brasileiro

Great Pyrenees

Hovawart

Kangal Dog

Kangaroo Dog

King Shepherd

Komondor

Kunming Dog

Kuvasz

Labernese

Maremma Sheepdog

Mastiff

Mioritic Sheepdog

Moscow Watchdog

Neapolitan Mastiff

Nebolish Mastiff

Perro de Presa Mallorquin

Pyrenean Mastiff

Rafeiro do Alentejo

Roman Rottweiler

Rottle

Rottweiler

Shiloh Shepherd

Slovensky Cuvac

Spanish Mastiff

St. Weiler

Tibetan Mastiff

Titán Bull-Doggé

Tosa Inu


lol

We clearly have differing criteria

 

I have a lab gun dog for sale £380 she is one month old

 

I see there are quite a few threads on this now - so I hope you still check your thread LOL.

6 years ago we moved into a house - very similar to your specs. We had a family in mind but already had one dog. Some time before the Mrs fell pregnant we were looking into a puppy - we ended up with a Dogue de Bordeaux - named her Ruby. Not many people are familiar with the breed - better known for the slobbery thing in Turner and Hooch. Although, in reality - nowhere near as dibbling. Never ever would we have a different breed of dog.

We were told when we were looking into breeders etc and people who already owned them, that the Dogue de Bordeaux is fantastic with kids - its their nature to be mothering (the bitch at least), but whilst being very family orientated - they are also quite protective of their family/surroundings without being a threat.

Ruby had a pup - who we kept, called him chunk - he'll be 2 in October, sadly though, Ruby died last year from a heart problem - but we've since bought Kia..............

 

I've read every post and am grateful for them all and all the U2U's I've received. Am going to see some Pups tomorrow night. Will let you know.

 

 

If you want a dog that is loyal affectionate and unbelievable fun, and will not eat your newborn kids or anything else at that matter. Get yourself a Bulldog. They dont come better or unfortunatley cheaper. Just sold my puppies at £2k each and 8 puppies = yahoo. My parents have bred different types of dog breeds for as long as i can remember and the easiest dogs we ever had were bull dogs. My wife is pregnant and due soon and like the other baby's before Albert (my male) does not leave her or the kids side. The kids use him as a painting canvas, warlord in there army games and he even rides on the youngest's skate board with him and every bull dog will do that. We have an old bully (frank) who is 12 years old and the one before was 13, so dont believe all the crap about how they have breathing difficulties or the like as it is a load of crap. Plus you'll never feel prouder than when your bully is out for a walk with you. But all this does come at a cost, as the best things usually do. Anyway i hope you get a great dog and enjoy it for years to come.

 

These are short haired (there is a long haired version but not so popular) very loving and protective, great in the house, serious bark , and beautiful. Mine died in 03 and I miss him every day. Great characters.

 

boxer dog
we had 3 of them (only 2 left now) and they were all great with the kids, even when the new baby arrived.
and there great with the rabbits

 

pimmo2000, my girlfriend and i spent a good 6 months researching various breeds, we have a similar size property and circumstances as yourself, and we kept going back to one breed..

Rhodesian Ridgeback.
we've had our bitch for 2 1/2 years now, and fits all the criteria we required in a dog.
robust, easy to groom and keep clean not a great shedder, protective of her 'pack' but no an outwardly aggressive dog.
however, if strangers come to the front door she makes her presence known and is quite an intimidating sight. once she's accepted someone in tho, a friend for life she loves a good run, 2/3 hours in the park is not unheard of, but she can be a lazy git and spend most of the day crashed out.
health problems are reasonably few hip displaycia being the most common, but that seems to be the same for pretty much all large breeds..the big health risk for Ridgebacks is dermoid sinus, a growth along the dogs ridge, but animals suffering this are normally identified when pups, as theyre screened for it.
they are a very stubborn breed and are not easy to train although theyre quite intelligent.
not for everone, but perfect for us

 

would get a Border Collie every time if it was me choosing.

 

If I didn't have Rotties then Ridgebacks would be high on my list. Big lovely dogs and again have a great temperament if treated with love and respect . My aunt & Uncle have a zoo in Norfolk and have a big pair of ridgebacks. One got a little 'playful with me when running about and managed to nick my shoulder, accidently really. Luckily it scarred perfectly and I managed to convince school that I had already been given a BCG, despite it being on the wrong shoulder! Never got found out .